Foolish Stunts And Hot Air Don't Fix Climate Change 1

Ref: 06/08

Media Release
31 March 2008

Foolish Stunts and Hot Air Don't Fix Climate Change

Plans by local activists to stage April Fools Day media stunts targeting the coal industry make
no contribution to the serious challenge of solving climate change.

Speaking on the eve of the historic launch of the Otway Basin project the largest
greenhouse gas storage trial in Australia and the southern hemisphere - NSW Minerals
Council CEO Dr Nikki Williams, said real achievements in dealing with the serious impacts of
climate change are coming from Australia's research community.

Dr Williams said a number of major Carbon Capture and Storage projects being supported by
governments and the coal and energy industries around Australia (including the Otway Basin,
Hazelwood and Loy Yang in Victoria; Callide A and ZeroGen in Queensland; the $150 million
Post Combustion Carbon Capture and Storage Project in NSW; and the DF3 Kwinana Project
in Western Australia) demonstrate that Australia is an emerging world leader in the low
emission technology industry.

"In all, there are 13 different low emission technology projects going on around Australia - out
of a total of some 45 worldwide. Three of these are on a large commercial scale. Low
emission coal technologies are scientific fact not science fiction," said Dr Williams.

"The so called Fossil Fools Day stunts planned for April 1st will create a lot of greenhouse gas
emissions but will contribute absolutely nothing to the most serious issue of our generation.
We are in a race to put in place a full suite of solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and that's where the focus needs to lie."

Dr Williams said the Australian coal industry has acknowledged for over a decade that burning
fossil fuels contributes to global warming and that we need to reduce emissions from burning
coal." More than that, the industry has put its money where its mouth is", she said.

"The Australian coal industry is working closely with researchers and governments - both in
Australia and overseas - investing heavily to fast track deployment of these crucial
technologies," she said.

"And we shouldn't forget that 75 per cent of the world's emissions come from sources other
than coal, so we need the full gamut of responses, including renewable energy sources, fuel
efficient transport, buildings and appliances, household energy conservation, improved
agricultural practices, reforestation and supportive government policies working together.
Finding solutions to climate change is not a competition. The NSW coal industry is calling for
an end to all this tiresome hot air."


ENDS

To arrange interviews please contact Marion Downey, NSW Minerals Council
T: (02) 8202 7213 | M: 0438 280 073 | E: [email protected]